An Unforgivable Love is like a Curse
by HalfBloodPrincess11
Summary: The story of a Slytherin Prince, Malfoy, and A Gryffindor bookworm, Hermione, and their secret love.  Used to be called Secret's and Apples, Forbidden Moments, but I changed the name!
1. Chapter 1: Beat Me to the Punch

Draco couldn't believe it. Granger had punched him in the face! She had stood up to him, had done what no one else ever had. He went to the Astronomy Tower that night to think. He knew why he was the way he was. Why he was always calling her a mudblood, and making fun of her. his father. Draco had grown up being told that muggleborns were scum. That they weren't worth his time. But now that he thought about it, that was rubbish! There was nothing wrong with those muggleborns! They were just like him, if not better than him at magic, if Granger was anything to measure summer, when Draco went to Diagon Alley with his father, he told his father what he had realized. His father dragged him into a corner unseen by most passerby, except one girl, a girl with bushy brown hair, and a love for books of all kinds.

That girl saw Lucius Malfoy whisper-yell at his son, and then throw him to the ground, whispering "You are no son of mine until you realize that we are BETTER than them!" She saw him turn sharply and stride away from his son.

Somehow, almost without telling them to, her legs carried her across the street to the bleach blond boy lying on the ground, sobbing. She looked at him and said "Draco..." He looked up at her with despair as she wrapped her arms around him, and he leaned into her...

... They sat there together, not saying anything, for almost half an hour, there in that side alley in Diagon Alley. Hermione didnt know what she COULD say. She had heard what Lucius said. She knew Draco had changed his beliefs about Muggleborns. But did that excuse everything that he had said to her over the past three years? She didnt know the answer to that. What was she supposed to believe?

Draco pulled away, and they sat in silence for a few more moments before he spoke. "Please don't tell anyone about this, Hermione."

"You called me by my first name."

"Yeah, I did."

"... Did you mean what you said to your dad?"

"Will it change anything either way?" Draco asked. Right now all he wanted was her forgiveness, and to start over as her friend. But he knew that wouldn't be possible with his friends, and hers. But he had a plan.

"Of course it would. I'm not above forgiving someone for their mistakes, if they're sorry." Hermione, all of a sudden, wanted to be his friend, but she needed to know that truth.

"Yes I meant it. Can you forgive me? I also want to be your friend. If thats possible." Draco looked at her, his eyes hopeful.

"Ok then. I believe you, and forgive you. But how are we going to be friends, with your friends, and mine? They wouldn't understand, and I'm pretty sure the rest of the Slytherins would kick your butt if they knew you've changed." Hermione had thought of the same thing Draco had. Oh God she's so smart. And pretty.-Draco thought. Wait what? he thought. How can I be thinking that?

"Well, I think, for now, we have to keep our friendship a secret. I think its the only way. And I think we have to pretend like we still hate each other." Draco said.

"Like Romeo and Juliet," Hermione said, then blushed. "I- I- I mean..."

"Yeah. I know what you mean."

Then Harry and Ron passed by the alley calling her name.

"I have to go! I'll see you at school, Draco."


	2. Chapter 2: Time Can Change Me

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own any of these characters or I'd be married to a few of them ;) Oh just a sidenote, I changed the title, because the more I looked at it, the weirder it seemed. Oh Last thing! Please review! I will love you forever if you do! Thanks!**

Over the course of their fourth year, Draco and Hermione would sneak off to hang out together. In the library, in the astronomy tower, even in the owlery, though that was harder because of the loudness of the owls.

They talked about everything. They talked about their families, their beliefs, their favorite books, music, where their friends thought they were when they disappeared. Always in the back of their minds though, was the thought of what they would do when people found out that Draco wasn't the bad boy mudlblood hater he always seemed to be. In the back of Hermiones mind, she always remembered Draco's father and what he had done to Draco. She didnt know how to help Draco, but every time she brought it up, he brushed it off and changed the subject. Hermione started worrying aloud about Harry and the Tournament as well. Draco tried his best to comfort her, which reassured her of his changed nature when he brushed by her in the halls and insulted her friends when they were in public. It tortured Draco that he had to act like the spoiled, rich, pureblood, asshole he used to be, but he didn't know what else to do.

One day Draco entered one of the empty classrooms he and Hermione used to hang out. She was pacing back and forth anxiously. "Mione what's wrong?" he asked, concerned.

She jumped, she hadn't seen him come in. "Draco, you scared me." She sat down next to him.

"You didn't answer my question, Mione," he said, not about to give up.

"Well there's nothing, wrong, exactly..." she said, but she looked at him guiltily.

"Well what is it then?"

"Viktor Krum asked me to the Ball..."

Draco's heart felt like it fell to the floor. He still didn't understand what his feelings for his Mione were, but he knew that that phrase was something that hurt, so much. But he wasn't sure what Hermione wanted him to say. She was still looking at him. "Oh. Well. That's great." he said, unconvincingly.

"Oh. You think so? I haven't said yes yet." Hermione said with a sad look.

"Well, yeah. I mean, you want to, right?"

"Well..." Hermione got up and started pacing again. But she knew she couldnt say what she wanted to. So she just said "Who are you going with?"

Draco was startled. So he said the first name that came to his mind. "Pansy Parkinson." Crap. That meant he'd have to ask that pig.

"Oh. Well... I gotta go."

The two of them didn't talk again before the Ball. When it came time for the Yule Ball, Draco went in the Great Hall with Pansy, ignoring her annoying babble. When he saw Hermione come in, he had to catch his breath. She was so beautiful. She looked like she was having a wonderful time. He felt a pang of jealousy toward Viktor.

Time passed slowly for Draco, but finally he was able to ditch Pansy and wait outside for Hermione to come by to go to bed, or to go to the bathroom. When she did go by, he grabbed her hand and pulled her outside into shadow. She gasped.

When she looked at him, she stopped breathing for a moment. He looked so handsome. Draco started talking right away. "Viktor's too old for you you know. And plus, he's probably just using you to get to Harry." As soon as he said it, he regretted it. Hermione had a bit of a temper.

"What? Is that what you really think? That I'm not good enough, or pretty enough for him? Huh? And you don't think I can take care of myself?" She. Was. Pissed. She went to turn around and leave him, but he grabbed her and spun her around. He pushed her towards a wall, and kissed her, taking her breath away. And she kissed him back. They had no idea what they were doing, and that was kind of the best part.

Hermione had no idea what she was doing. This was crazy! Draco was... well he was wounded. He listened to her. He had never tried to make her choose between him and Harry and Ron. He cared about whatever she was worrying about. He didn't care that she was muggleborn.

'What?' she thought. 'This is Draco! Hermione Jean Granger, you can't be doing this.' But even though her mind told her this, her body and her heart refused to move away from this boy that she knew was bad for her.

Draco couldn't believe this was finally happening. He had wanted this for so long. He was so amazed she wasn't moving away. And as soon as he thought that, she did. Hermione looked at him for a moment, her face a mask of shock, and turned and ran away.

Draco stood there, not sure what to do, or what just happened. Unless he had imagined it, Hermione Jean Granger had kissed him back. He saw two red heads out of the corner of his eye, and went over to the corner of the courtyard. It was Fred and George Weasley. 'Crap.' Draco thought. I'm doomed.

The twins just looked at him, with mischievous smiles. "Well well well..." Fred said.

"That was interesting..." George finished.

Draco stared at them. They didn't seem upset, or like they were going to tell on him to his or Hermione's friends. "What do you two want?"

Fred and George looked at each other, and Fred said, "Well maybe you'll just owe us one." They winked, and walked away.

He went back to the Great Hall, but he didn't see Hermione. He saw Viktor Krum though, and he was heading his way. "Have you seen Er My Oh Nee?"

"It's Hermione, not whatever you just said. And why would I have seen her?"

"Vecause you has veelings vor her, no?"

"Why the hell would think that?"

"The vay you look at her." And with that, Krum walked away, walking back towards the ship the Durmstrangs were staying on. Draco was worried. If Krum, an idiot who didn't know him, could see the way he felt about the beautiful, smart, Gryffindor, then certainly his friends would be able to.

Hermione avoided Draco for days. She just didn't know what she would say. She didn't know what she was feeling. But finally she knew she had to see him. Her and Harry were sitting in the common room when she said "I have to go... to the library." Harry said "But its vacation!" but Hermione was already gone. Harry was getting suspicious. So he went upstairs and got the Marauders Map. He had always respected Hermione's privacy when she went off by herself for hours at a time, but this time he really wanted to know. When he looked at the map, he had to search or a while. But finally found her in an empty classroom... with Malfoy!

Draco just sat there with Hermione. Neither of them knew what to say. Finally, after a few minutes of torturous silence, he said "Hermione... I really like you. You're the only one who listens to me, and who actually cares about the real me."

"Are you saying you want to be with me, Draco?"

"Yes. I do."

"Draco I-"

"What the hell are you doing in here with HIM, Hermione?" Harry was standing in the doorway staring at her like she had betrayed him.

"Harry I-"

"You what? What could possibly explain this? You don't believe him do you? You don't believe he really wants to be with you do you? He's just using you, and probably laughing at you behind your back.

Draco gasped. "I would never do that!"

"Nothing I know about you makes me want to believe you," Harry said.

"Harry you just don't understand. Really. You have to let me explain."

Harry glared at Draco, who stood up, kissed Hermione on the forehead, said "I'll see you later" and left.

Hermione explained to Harry everything that had happened between her and Draco. She told him about what Draco's father was like, and about her and Draco's unlikely friendship. He felt bad for Malfoy, but wasnt sure she should trust him. "How do you know he's changed this fast Hermione? I don't want him hurting you."

"Harry I know you just want to protect me, but just trust me. I know what I'm doing. I trust Draco, and I really just want your support. Please."

Harry agreed, reluctantly. Draco was going have a hard time convincing him of his change, but he was going to give him that chance, because Hermione was his best friend.


End file.
